I used to go out with someone whose mother put the plate down to let the cat eat off it. no dishwasher and encouraged the cats to jump up on the kitchen sides to let them eat cat food off newspaper because otherwise the dog may eat it. - too bad.

However there are loads of us that do it and couldn't give a rats arse what you think. Come to that, my rats eat off my plate all the time, often while I am eating. They also partially climb into my dp's mouth and clean his teeth for him too, little rodentists that they are.

What do you do with the dozen or so coco pops left in the inch or so of milk everytime someone has cereals? I find the dog licking it up saves the bin/plughole dilema.

If you bin it the milk will leak out of the bottom and over your floors if the bin bag bursts. If you chuck it down the sink you run the risk of blocking up your plug hole.

My little dog on the otherhand loves the left over bits of cereal (and leftovers generally). I could scrape it into her bowl I suppose but she only has a small bowl and sometimes she only wants certain bits off the plates.

Better for her to have a buffet I think than to faff around seperating bits she will eat, bits she might and bits she won't.

And if you come to my house and don't like it, don't eat here! Or I have some paper plates if you prefer?

There are probably billions of bacteria whizzing around in your kitchen on surfaces, cloths, door handles and even in your dishwasher as it cools between cycles.

Alisvolatpropiis My dog would never beg for food, why would a dog expect to be given food off of a plate when all they have ever been given was the plate on the kitchen floor? That is not how dogs brains work.

As it is I do give my dog bits off of my plate, but only if he is lying in his basket with his head down, ie; I now have a dog that resembles a statue in it's bed at every mealtime, from start to finish, as he has learnt that this is the behaviour that wins him yummy treats. Dogs only repeat behaviour that is rewarding to them, that is how they are hardwired.

To be honest I was being a tit saying it makes them beg for food. My dog doesn't beg for food despite getting some leftovers in her bowl. Same with yours,she knows she gets no treats that way. She does seem crestfallen is she doesn't get some leftovers though!

Years and years ago, I had a massive row on the last day of our caravan holiday with my then boyfriend because he found me washing up the dog's bowl with the same washing up cloth as the rest of the washing up.

He correctly surmised that I must have done it every night for the last two weeks (he cooked, I washed up).